Arab parties won record 19 seats in Israeli election, coalition talks remain deadlocked

Arab parties won a record 19 seats in Israel's recent election, nearly doubling their previous representation in the 120-member Knesset. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc nor the Jewish-led opposition can govern alone, as Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats and the opposition won 48, both short of the 61 needed for a majority.

Rabbi Josh Weinberg, a vice president at the Union for Reform Judaism, said he wants a coalition that includes Arab parties. He cited a 1940 quote from Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who said the vice-premiership should be offered to an Arab whenever the prime minister is Jewish, and vice versa.

“In every cabinet where the prime minister is a Jew, the vice-premiership shall be offered to an Arab, and vice versa.”

Weinberg said he does not want Hareidim, ultra-nationalist parties, or Likud in the coalition anymore. He spoke to JNS hours after returning to the United States from Israel, where he traveled to vote in the country's first national election since October 7, 2023.

Likud rejected cooperation with Arab parties, stating in Hebrew that parties supporting terrorism and the elimination of the Jewish state stole the election through bribery, threats, violence, forgeries, and prohibited software. Netanyahu said in another post that it is forbidden to form a government with them.

Yair Golan, chair of the Democrats party, said Israeli leaders must no longer accept Netanyahu's division between Jewish votes and Arab votes. Arab parties have rarely been full governing partners, though Mansour Abbas and his Ra'am party joined an Israeli government in 2021.

The election is over, but coalition negotiations have just begun. Political leaders have drawn red lines against both a national unity government and cooperation with Arab parties, leaving the path forward uncertain.